Airfield Decoy Sites

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by ww2ni, Feb 5, 2015.

  1. ww2ni

    ww2ni Senior Member

    Folks,
    Does anyone know if there were Decoy Sites for the following Airfields :-

    Bishopscourt
    Cluntoe
    Long Kesh
    Maghaberry
    Maydown
    Mullaghmore
    Toome.

    Any help would be very much appreciated.

    Andy
     
  2. NickFenton

    NickFenton Well-Known Member

  3. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Apparently there were about 200 airfields in the British Isles which had decoy airfields.Those airfields considered to be important would be given priority and those in the eastern half of the country may have received a higher priority.It is thought that there were well in excess of 200 decoy airfields,all with official designated serial numbers.21 RAF airfields in Lincolnshire had a total of 30 decoy airfields,some being shared.

    There was a publication Decoy Airfields by Aeromilitaria No 3 1979 which apparently is a good reference on the subject.I do not know of its availability.

    I note that on ARG post #23 "Caenby Norfolk Hemiswell no 106" would be RAF Hemswell,Lincolnshire which had a decoy airfield at Caenby off the A15, a few miles to the east. It also had a decoy airfield at Toft Grange which was equipped with 10 Whitley dummies....Toft Grange, very close to the future RAF Faldingworth and may have been part of the future airfield as it was abandoned in August 1943.There was also another decoy airfield near the village of Glentham,further east along from Caenby.

    As regards the level of deception,it is on record that a Boston whose pilot was taken in by the site at night,that he landed his aircraft on the Caenby decoy thinking that it was Hemswell...apparently he cleared off to the mess and the aircraft was flown out by a replacement pilot in daylight...Caenby decoy airfield obviously fulfilled its role and would probably have been the target for the Luftwaffe rather than the Hemswell site.

    Where dummy aircraft were utilised on Bomber airfields,the dummies tended to be Battles,Whitleys and Blenheims.
     
    Smudger Jnr likes this.
  4. Bernard85

    Bernard85 WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    good day ww2ni,sm,yesterday 03:50.pm.re:airfield decoy sites.you will find google has a good site.(just enter decoy sites ww2)hopes it helps.regards bernard85
     
  5. ww2ni

    ww2ni Senior Member

    Hi Guys,
    I am also a member of the AIX Forum and have asked there.

    Thanks very much Bernard. - Whenever I find these places I will be visiting and photographing them.

    Cheers.

    Andy
     
  6. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Apparently Nazeing Common served as the decoy airfield for RAF North Weald,which was located a few miles to the south east.

    The aircraft dummies were provided by Shepperton Studios.....reported to be well lit up at night with taxing aircraft similated
     

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